• The USA on deck: The US is gearing up for its debut match against Paraguay at 9 p.m. ET in Los Angeles in one of the most important games in American soccer history.
• Canada opens with a draw: Canada concluded its opening World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina with a 1-1 draw, scoring a second-half equalizer in front of a hype Toronto crowd.
• Opening ceremonies: Headliners Future, Katy Perry and Anitta will kick off the celebrations in the US. Canada’s ceremony in Toronto featured performances from Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé and Alessia Cara.
• Sign up for The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily World Cup newsletter. It’s free!
Cobertura en directo en español del Mundial en CNN en Español.
48 Posts
CNN’s Coy Wire spoke with a man and his son on their way to the USA’s opening game against Paraguay. The moment brought special memories and emotions to the father.
Back in their first World Cup since 2010, one of the team’s central players will be midfielder 23-year-old Diego Gómez.
Gómez currently plays for Brighton & Hove Albion FC in the Premier League, but he first cut his teeth in Paraguay, kicking off his professional soccer career with Club Libertad in Asunción.
In July 2023, Gómez went on to join the most prominent American league, Major League Soccer, where he played for Inter Miami alongside the one and only Lionel Messi. He left for the Premier League in December 2024, but not before contributing to Inter’s first Leagues Cup win.
Gómez is considered a versatile midfield engine for Paraguay’s offense, a team powered by a mix of youth and experience. He was just seven years old the last time Paraguay took the World Cup pitch, so he’ll look to channel that excitement into results in the tournament.
Chatting with a gentleman from Telemundo who said he met some fans from Paraguay at his hotel. They came to Los Angeles from Miami and planned to buy tickets as game got closer.
I don’t like their odds. Just checked both StubHub and SeatGeek. Both are showing no tickets available for the game.
The price tag is high. The demand is higher.
On Friday night, Tyler Adams will play in inarguably the most important game of his career.
But fandom is fandom and Adams, born in Poughkeepsie and raised in Wappinger Falls, was born in February 1999, has been loving watching the New York Knicks.
The video of his and his teammates’ celebration, along with going viral, was endearingly real, a snapshot of how – no matter the level of personal fame or athletic success – at the core everyone is a little kid rooting for his team.
“I mean, listen, I have group chats with me and my boys from back home growing up, and we’ve always been Knicks fans,’’ Adams told CNN Sports. “We’ve never been this close, so it’s exciting. I blacked out.’’
Read more from Adam’s interview here.
Greetings from SoFi Stadium, where the U.S. crowd is already all in.
There’s more red, white and blue than a July 4 parade, and deafening chants are already starting as the crowd slowly files in.
It’s a perfect setting for such an epic moment. SoFi Stadium is, itself, a happening with its clear roof, gorgeous views and absurd ribbon video board.
For the first time since 1974, the Democratic Republic of Congo will take part in the World Cup.
The team, nicknamed the Leopards, arrived in Houston on Thursday with some truly spectacular suits.
A leopard was featured prominently on their jackets, as was a leopard-print strip.
The team takes the pitch for the first time Wednesday against Portugal.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is expected to have a presence at the World Cup, but officials insist the focus will be on security, not rounding up undocumented immigrants.
Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, generally has a presence at sporting events, including the Super Bowl, to crackdown on counterfeit goods as well as combat trafficking. An ICE spokesperson told CNN that their mission will remain the same during the World Cup.
“ICE and HSI will be working with local and federal partners to secure the FIFA World Cup,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “They will play a pivotal role in combatting human trafficking as well as stopping counterfeit merchandise and counterfeit ticket sales.”
Homeland Security officials have tried to tamp down concerns from fans in the lead up to the tournament, fueled by the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement campaign.
“International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about,” said DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis in a statement.
There’s been a lot of talk about whether one could – or should – walk from New York City to MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands of New Jersey, where the tournament’s final will be held.
Well, people are doing it. But should they?
US President Donald Trump called the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) on Thursday night to wish the team good luck ahead of its opening match against Paraguay.
Speaking directly to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, Trump called him a “fantastic guy and fantastic coach,” adding that the team has a very good chance to “go all the way.”
Trump will not be attending the US match in Los Angeles tonight, as it’s not on his schedule and his attention is focused on discussions around the war in Iran.
Watch the video of the phone call here:
Canada’s next group stage matches will both be played in BC Place in Vancouver.
On June 18 at 6 p.m. ET, Canada will play Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup. On June 24 at 3 p.m. ET, it closes out group stage play against Switzerland.
Canada has only qualified for the World Cup twice before, in 1986 and 2022. The national team has never won a match in its limited tournament experience. Coming off of consecutive qualifications, Canada is hoping to get exit the group stage for the first time.
Find the complete tournament schedule here.
1-1. For those unfamiliar, it may seem like an unsatisfying ending, but in the group stage, it’s all about advancing to the knockout round.
World Cup matches can only end in a draw in the group stage. There is no extra time. If there is no winner by the end of injury time, the match simply ends.
Draws still affect the tournament standings, as both teams receive one point for a match ending in a draw. Meanwhile, victories give a team three points and a team receives no points for a loss.
Under the tournament’s new expanded format, Canada and Bosnia have made sure that they’ll remain competitive in the remaining group stage matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 32. Additionally, the eight third-place teams with the best scores will also advance.
A brilliant game and a draw is just about fair.
Bosnia was the better team in the first half but ran out of legs by the end. That, and some smart substitutions for Canada, saw the co-host get back into the tie, but it just didn’t have time to find a winner.
Cyle Larin almost scored a last-gasp goal in the dying seconds as well.
A draw isn’t the end of the world for either team. The dream of making the knockout stages remains very much on, especially in the expanded tournament.
We’ve got just six minutes left of added time and Canada is still pushing for a winner.
Bosnia looks exhausted. It’s defended so well, but it’s clearly taken a lot out of the players.
Ali Ahmed is the danger man for Canada. He keeps running at his defender and making things happen from the wing.
Canada manager Jesse Marsch was teased quite a bit during his brief spell in the English Premier League, but the 52-year-old is the one laughing now.
He has masterminded a wonderful second half from his team, making changes which have wrestled control of the game.
All of a sudden, it looks like the co-host who is most likely to win here and Bosnia might just be starting to run out of steam.
Apparently, the new mandatory hydration breaks include the pitch.
During the second half’s hydration break, the sprinklers turned on, refreshing the pitch and the players at the same time.
If you’re wondering why this is done, it’s to keep the field slick for the ball to be able to move freely.
Watch the video here:
He’s only just come on, but Cyle Larin grabs a goal for Canada.
It was a lovely move from the co-host, but it’s all about Larin. The striker holds the ball up wonderfully before twisting and firing a shot into the far corner of the net, thanks in part to a little deflection.
The stadium – and Ryan Reynolds – goes crazy. We have 10 minutes to find a winner.
Score: Canada 1 – 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
This is a classic example of a soccer game being so entertaining despite there only being one goal in the game.
Both teams are risking a lot in order to score and both have wasted some really good chances.
If anything, the lack of cutting edge has made this even more of a spectacle.
Shame we have to stop for another three minutes for yet another hydration break.
This has been a brilliant defensive display from Bosnia, with its players celebrating tackles and blocks like goals.
Canada has switched things up going forward, bringing on Promise David to go up top. He will bring an aerial threat heading into the final 20 minutes.
Norwich City winger Ali Ahmed has also been introduced, with the youngster capable of beating a man and creating a chance for Canada.
That is incredible.
It was a beautiful passage of play from Canada which set Richie Laryea through on goal.
The striker does everything perfectly, but Sead Kolašinac somehow diverts the shot onto the cross bar. It was an amazing clearance that denied Canada a certain goal.
Then, seconds later, Bosnia misses a huge chance to go 2-0 up.
A big collision there between Canada’s Tani Oluwaseyi and Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
The striker ran through on goal and was clattered by the onrushing goalie with both falling to the floor.
It looked as though Canada might have deserved a penalty but replays showed that Vasilj got a hand to the ball just before making contact with the man.
• The USA on deck: The US is gearing up for its debut match against Paraguay at 9 p.m. ET in Los Angeles in one of the most important games in American soccer history.
• Canada opens with a draw: Canada concluded its opening World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina with a 1-1 draw, scoring a second-half equalizer in front of a hype Toronto crowd.
• Opening ceremonies: Headliners Future, Katy Perry and Anitta will kick off the celebrations in the US. Canada’s ceremony in Toronto featured performances from Alanis Morissette, Michael Bublé and Alessia Cara.
• Sign up for The Beautiful Game by CNN Sports, our daily World Cup newsletter. It’s free!
Cobertura en directo en español del Mundial en CNN en Español.
CNN’s Coy Wire spoke with a man and his son on their way to the USA’s opening game against Paraguay. The moment brought special memories and emotions to the father.
Back in their first World Cup since 2010, one of the team’s central players will be midfielder 23-year-old Diego Gómez.
Gómez currently plays for Brighton & Hove Albion FC in the Premier League, but he first cut his teeth in Paraguay, kicking off his professional soccer career with Club Libertad in Asunción.
In July 2023, Gómez went on to join the most prominent American league, Major League Soccer, where he played for Inter Miami alongside the one and only Lionel Messi. He left for the Premier League in December 2024, but not before contributing to Inter’s first Leagues Cup win.
Gómez is considered a versatile midfield engine for Paraguay’s offense, a team powered by a mix of youth and experience. He was just seven years old the last time Paraguay took the World Cup pitch, so he’ll look to channel that excitement into results in the tournament.
Chatting with a gentleman from Telemundo who said he met some fans from Paraguay at his hotel. They came to Los Angeles from Miami and planned to buy tickets as game got closer.
I don’t like their odds. Just checked both StubHub and SeatGeek. Both are showing no tickets available for the game.
The price tag is high. The demand is higher.
On Friday night, Tyler Adams will play in inarguably the most important game of his career.
But fandom is fandom and Adams, born in Poughkeepsie and raised in Wappinger Falls, was born in February 1999, has been loving watching the New York Knicks.
The video of his and his teammates’ celebration, along with going viral, was endearingly real, a snapshot of how – no matter the level of personal fame or athletic success – at the core everyone is a little kid rooting for his team.
“I mean, listen, I have group chats with me and my boys from back home growing up, and we’ve always been Knicks fans,’’ Adams told CNN Sports. “We’ve never been this close, so it’s exciting. I blacked out.’’
Read more from Adam’s interview here.
Greetings from SoFi Stadium, where the U.S. crowd is already all in.
There’s more red, white and blue than a July 4 parade, and deafening chants are already starting as the crowd slowly files in.
It’s a perfect setting for such an epic moment. SoFi Stadium is, itself, a happening with its clear roof, gorgeous views and absurd ribbon video board.
For the first time since 1974, the Democratic Republic of Congo will take part in the World Cup.
The team, nicknamed the Leopards, arrived in Houston on Thursday with some truly spectacular suits.
A leopard was featured prominently on their jackets, as was a leopard-print strip.
The team takes the pitch for the first time Wednesday against Portugal.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is expected to have a presence at the World Cup, but officials insist the focus will be on security, not rounding up undocumented immigrants.
Homeland Security Investigations, a division of ICE, generally has a presence at sporting events, including the Super Bowl, to crackdown on counterfeit goods as well as combat trafficking. An ICE spokesperson told CNN that their mission will remain the same during the World Cup.
“ICE and HSI will be working with local and federal partners to secure the FIFA World Cup,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “They will play a pivotal role in combatting human trafficking as well as stopping counterfeit merchandise and counterfeit ticket sales.”
Homeland Security officials have tried to tamp down concerns from fans in the lead up to the tournament, fueled by the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement campaign.
“International visitors who legally come to the United States for the World Cup have nothing to worry about,” said DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis in a statement.
There’s been a lot of talk about whether one could – or should – walk from New York City to MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands of New Jersey, where the tournament’s final will be held.
Well, people are doing it. But should they?
US President Donald Trump called the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) on Thursday night to wish the team good luck ahead of its opening match against Paraguay.
Speaking directly to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, Trump called him a “fantastic guy and fantastic coach,” adding that the team has a very good chance to “go all the way.”
Trump will not be attending the US match in Los Angeles tonight, as it’s not on his schedule and his attention is focused on discussions around the war in Iran.
Watch the video of the phone call here:
Canada’s next group stage matches will both be played in BC Place in Vancouver.
On June 18 at 6 p.m. ET, Canada will play Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup. On June 24 at 3 p.m. ET, it closes out group stage play against Switzerland.
Canada has only qualified for the World Cup twice before, in 1986 and 2022. The national team has never won a match in its limited tournament experience. Coming off of consecutive qualifications, Canada is hoping to get exit the group stage for the first time.
Find the complete tournament schedule here.
1-1. For those unfamiliar, it may seem like an unsatisfying ending, but in the group stage, it’s all about advancing to the knockout round.
World Cup matches can only end in a draw in the group stage. There is no extra time. If there is no winner by the end of injury time, the match simply ends.
Draws still affect the tournament standings, as both teams receive one point for a match ending in a draw. Meanwhile, victories give a team three points and a team receives no points for a loss.
Under the tournament’s new expanded format, Canada and Bosnia have made sure that they’ll remain competitive in the remaining group stage matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 32. Additionally, the eight third-place teams with the best scores will also advance.
A brilliant game and a draw is just about fair.
Bosnia was the better team in the first half but ran out of legs by the end. That, and some smart substitutions for Canada, saw the co-host get back into the tie, but it just didn’t have time to find a winner.
Cyle Larin almost scored a last-gasp goal in the dying seconds as well.
A draw isn’t the end of the world for either team. The dream of making the knockout stages remains very much on, especially in the expanded tournament.
We’ve got just six minutes left of added time and Canada is still pushing for a winner.
Bosnia looks exhausted. It’s defended so well, but it’s clearly taken a lot out of the players.
Ali Ahmed is the danger man for Canada. He keeps running at his defender and making things happen from the wing.
Canada manager Jesse Marsch was teased quite a bit during his brief spell in the English Premier League, but the 52-year-old is the one laughing now.
He has masterminded a wonderful second half from his team, making changes which have wrestled control of the game.
All of a sudden, it looks like the co-host who is most likely to win here and Bosnia might just be starting to run out of steam.
Apparently, the new mandatory hydration breaks include the pitch.
During the second half’s hydration break, the sprinklers turned on, refreshing the pitch and the players at the same time.
If you’re wondering why this is done, it’s to keep the field slick for the ball to be able to move freely.
Watch the video here:
He’s only just come on, but Cyle Larin grabs a goal for Canada.
It was a lovely move from the co-host, but it’s all about Larin. The striker holds the ball up wonderfully before twisting and firing a shot into the far corner of the net, thanks in part to a little deflection.
The stadium – and Ryan Reynolds – goes crazy. We have 10 minutes to find a winner.
Score: Canada 1 – 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
This is a classic example of a soccer game being so entertaining despite there only being one goal in the game.
Both teams are risking a lot in order to score and both have wasted some really good chances.
If anything, the lack of cutting edge has made this even more of a spectacle.
Shame we have to stop for another three minutes for yet another hydration break.
This has been a brilliant defensive display from Bosnia, with its players celebrating tackles and blocks like goals.
Canada has switched things up going forward, bringing on Promise David to go up top. He will bring an aerial threat heading into the final 20 minutes.
Norwich City winger Ali Ahmed has also been introduced, with the youngster capable of beating a man and creating a chance for Canada.
That is incredible.
It was a beautiful passage of play from Canada which set Richie Laryea through on goal.
The striker does everything perfectly, but Sead Kolašinac somehow diverts the shot onto the cross bar. It was an amazing clearance that denied Canada a certain goal.
Then, seconds later, Bosnia misses a huge chance to go 2-0 up.
A big collision there between Canada’s Tani Oluwaseyi and Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.
The striker ran through on goal and was clattered by the onrushing goalie with both falling to the floor.
It looked as though Canada might have deserved a penalty but replays showed that Vasilj got a hand to the ball just before making contact with the man.
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